Froome crossed the line in seventh after the blustery 112.7-mile stage 14 from Blagnac, next door to the check-in desk at Toulouse airport – and he left Aru 24 seconds down the runway.

Britain's three-times champion effectively repaired the damage of Peyragudes, and he said: “It's good to be back.

“After a couple of tough days in the Pyrenees, it's nice to bounce back – but it's a very nice surprise. I never thought we'd get the jersey back on a stage like this one.

“It definitely wasn't the plan to lose the Yellow Jersey, and I didn't expect to get it back on a stage like this one.

“As we began the final climb, I didn't know where Fabio was, but then I heard Michal Kwiatkowski, who did another incredible job out there on the road, shout on the radio: 'Go, go, go Froomey! There are gaps everywhere – go for it!'

The pack rides during the 181,5 km 14th stage of the 104th edition of the Tour de France (Image: AFP)

Fabio Aru began the day in yellow but got his tactic wrong (Image: Getty Images Europe)

“I still never dreamed I would be taking 24 seconds out of Fabio, but it's going to be all hands on deck again tomorrow.

“There is only half a minute between the top four and every second counts this year. It's a fight for every second and it's going to be a war.

“I'm not going to be safe until I reach Paris. As we've seen, each day has had its surprises.

“I was shocked to see the same kind of time gaps today as there were in the Pyrenees, but I just didn't have the legs when I lost the jersey a couple of days ago.

The stage ran from Blagnac to Rodez (Image: Getty Images Europe)

“But after two consecutive really hard days, I like to think it's brought out the stage racer in me.”

Le Tour data revealed Froome was going 4.1mph faster than Aru over the last 500 yards. In cycling terms, that was like a Lamborghini showing a Nissan Micra the way home.

With only five more stages before next Saturday's time trial in Marseille – where Froome, on form, will put the hammer down and distance his rivals again – maybe the altiport at Peyragudes was a blip, not he beginning of the end.

The peloton ride past a field of sunflowers (Image: Getty Images Europe)

Sky road captain Luke Rowe warned: “We gave up the Yellow Jersey once – but I saw how disappointed Froomey was, and he won't be doing that again.”

Aussie stage winner Michael Matthews, who pipped Olympic gold medallist Greg van Avermaet to the line, said: “Last time on this finish two years ago, I had four broken ribs and I was missing skin all over my body. To come back and win on the same finish is a dream come true.”

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